The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab on Tuesday strongly condemned the attack on a bus operating under the Punjab Government's Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra Scheme and said that the incident was carried out by Congress Karyakartas (workers) who were frustrated by the growing popularity and success of the welfare initiative.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab Media Incharge Baltej Pannu, accompanied by AAP leader Shaminder Singh Khinda, said the Bhagwant Mann Government's Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra Scheme has emerged as one of the state's most successful public welfare initiatives, enabling lakhs of people to undertake pilgrimages free of cost.
Calling out the Congress, Baltej Pannu said, “Opposition parties are unable to digest the success of the Bhagwant Mann Government's welfare initiatives. When the AAP government came to power, the opposition claimed it would not survive even three months.
When the government completed three months, they said it would not complete a year. Today, the government is successfully completing its five-year term.” Baltej Pannu also pointed out the opposition of repeatedly spreading baseless rumours whenever Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann goes for routine medical check-ups, alleging that they have consistently tried to create unnecessary speculation to mislead the public.
Referring to the attack on the Teerath Yatra bus, Baltej Pannu said that two persons arrested by the Amritsar Rural Police, Gurpinder Singh alias Lali and Baljit Singh Sheesha, have links with the Congress party. He said the bus was attacked without any provocation or reason.
"The only reason behind this attack is that Congress cannot tolerate the appreciation people express for the Bhagwant Mann Government after returning from these pilgrimages. Every devotee who benefits from the scheme praises the government, and this has become unbearable for the Congress," he said.
Baltej Pannu further asserted that two other Congress-linked individuals, Sunny and Harpreet Singh, tried to pressure the police into releasing the accused and preventing legal action against them. “The police are investigating who instigated the accused and the larger conspiracy behind the attack.
The Bhagwant Mann Government remains committed to continuing the Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra Scheme and will not allow anyone to disrupt a programme that has brought spiritual fulfilment and happiness to lakhs of Punjabis,” he added. Meanwhile, Shaminder Singh Khinda informed that more than 3.5 lakh devotees have already benefited from the scheme by visiting revered religious places including Sri Anandpur Sahib, Mata Naina Devi Temple and Sri Darbar Sahib.
He added that in the coming days, the government will also start pilgrimage services to Haridwar, Rishikesh, Mathura, Vrindavan, Khatu Shyam and Salasar Dham. He said the Punjab Government takes complete responsibility for the pilgrims throughout the journey, including transportation, accommodation, food and other arrangements.
Khinda said many people, especially from economically weaker families, had never been able to visit these religious places due to financial constraints. "The Mukh Mantri Teerath Yatra Scheme was launched to fulfil the wishes of such people.
The scheme has continued uninterrupted since its launch and has not remained suspended even for a single day. Despite lakhs of beneficiaries, not a single complaint has been reported regarding the arrangements," he said.